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by: Chatty Garrate
Gaming has slowly become a normal part of modern life. As an activity, it is incredibly versatile. The sheer variety of games means there’s a video game out there for almost every person.
It’s not just a way to pass the time too. Nowadays, video games provide a ton of benefits. For some, it could even be a way to make some passive income, making it one of the best reasons to play video games.
A lot of research has been done into learning the benefits of video games. For example, a paper from Radboud University details in-depth the positive effects of genuine scientific research. While this article can’t go that in-depth, here’s a quick and fun overview.
Easing Mental Health
The first and foremost benefit of playing video games is as a stress reliever. While yes, some games have gotten a reputation for being stressful due to their difficulty, it’s not “real” pressure. For some people, getting to vent their frustrations through video games is a great release.
Being able to keep the brain active without thinking about their problems is great. It prevents people from wallowing in worry. Instead, they can just beat up someone in Street Fighter or build a house in Minecraft.
Socializing
Video games have become a new way to connect with people. In many ways, it always has been. Ever since its mainstream start in arcades, games have been a very social activity. People love to compete with high scores and discuss the latest happenings in video games.
Now, that same sentiment persists online. From your gaming laptop, you can join huge communities on social media. All of them spawned from a passion for video games. People find other people with similar interests and spark potentially long-lasting friendships. In incredibly rare cases, some of them have even gotten married.
Teamwork
Along with socializing, gaming also improves teamwork. With friends, team games help improve your communication skills. Especially about completing tasks. When real-life team-building exercises or activities are needed, some gamers excel.
Of course, there are is also the other teamwork lesson you’ll learn. You’ll learn how to deal with terrible teammates. In public matches, you’ll encounter some, to put politely, unsavory characters. Despite their rudeness, gaming is a great way to test your capabilities with one team member down.
Cognitive Skills
Video games increase a fun thing called “visuospatial ability”. In not-as-nerdy terms, that means video games help you recognize and remember concepts better. That helps you become more aware of your surroundings. Navigational activities such as driving or finding a place benefits from that.
In addition, it also helps with recognizing patterns. For fields such as mathematics, engineering, and architecture, that is very handy to have. Cognition is one of those subtle, everyday things that gamers passively benefit from. Card games in particular are effective at improving cognition.
Hand-Eye Coordination
Hand-eye coordination is significantly improved by video games Video games often require fast reflexes and coordination to complete. Faster coordination and reflexes mean faster learning everywhere else. Challenges are a lot more enjoyable when they’re a little difficult.
For repetitive tasks especially, hand-eye coordination is very useful. When paired with good physical health, that means video games actively improve your perception. Coordination also benefits your multi-tasking skills, as your attention is no longer limited to not messing up your flow.
Determination
Video games can be a difficult activity. From the olden times of Ghosts n Goblins to the modern Dark Souls of video games, Dark Souls, gamers have been taught to overcome difficulty from the beginning. Coping with failure is a classic gamer trait.
Yes, losing doesn’t feel great. However, losing in video games is a good way to be introspective. Observe how you react to failure. As you slowly improve in a game, it fills you with determination.
Problem Solving
A lot of games also require strategic and tactical thinking. These are crucial skills for problem-solving. Being able to think of the bigger picture while adapting on the go is very handy. Now with all of the skills above combined, you solve problems with much more ease.
With good mental health, your mind is clear. With better communication skills, you work better with teams on projects. With cognition and coordination, tasks go by a lot faster. Finally, with determination, you can see the problem through its end.
Conclusion
It should be noted that all of these benefits are only from playing video games in moderation. Just like any activity, too much gaming could become a negative real quick. This is why it’s important to balance your gaming with other activities.
That being said, if you want more fun tidbits about geek culture, take a look around our blog!
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